Entrances to Port Everglades

[Guest Cruisenewbie20181]

My first time driving to Port Everglades. I live on the west coast of Florida so I know how to get to Ft Lauderdale. But I am getting different directions on gps apps regarding either entering the port on Eller Dr or the west entrance on State rd 84 Spangler Blvd. I plan on parking in Heron Garage for Princess cruise from terminal 2, so it seems to me that the Spangler Blvd entrance would be better rather than circling around the Port from the Eller Dr entrance. Is the Spangler Blvd entrance always open?

Also if we take the walkway from the Heron Garage to the terminal will there be porters to take our luggage inside the terminal or do we need to drop off first?

 

[CruiserBruce]

You want to go SE 17th to Eisenhower, which takes you to Terminal 2.

[lx200gps]

If you are sure that you are sailing from T2, then yes, entering from 17th/Eisenhower would be easiest. Keep in mind that not all Princess ships sail from, or return to, T2. If there are multiple Princess ships in PE that day, which is very common, then the older or smaller ship gets shunted to T21. In the past, we have even sailed from T2 but returned to T21. Terminal 21 would probably be easiest reached from the south via Eller.

[KreinKrunker]

7 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

You want to go SE 17th to Eisenhower, which takes you to Terminal 2.

If you are sure that your ship is at terminal 2, do what CruiserBruce said.  North on Hwy 1, then east on SE 17th, then south on Eisenhower.  By doing this, you won't have to go through security with your car.  Can be a bottleneck on a busy day.  But 1x200gps said, there may be more than one Princess ship in port that day.

[Guest Cruisenewbie20181]

Reading from the Port Everglades website it seems there is a security checkpoint at SE 17th and Eisenhower.

security checkpoint hours

Security Checkpoint Hours
Checkpoint 1 (Eller Dr./I-595): 24/7
Checkpoint 2 (State Road 84/Spangler Blvd.): 6AM - 6PM
Checkpoint 3 (SE 17th St./Eisenhower Blvd.): 6AM - 6PM

 

Thanks for the replies, I’m probably going to choose the State Rd 84/ Spangler entrance.

[CruiserBruce]

There is a checkpoint on Eisenhower. Some say Terminal 2 is outside the security checkpoint...but I believe its inside. 

 

We have sailed out of Port Everglades 4 times. 3 times we entered through Eisenhower, one time we entered at Spangler. Either will work, but Eisenhower is closer. Perhaps the choice of Spangler is due to your approach route.

[lx200gps]

30 minutes ago, CruiserBruce said:

There is a checkpoint on Eisenhower. Some say Terminal 2 is outside the security checkpoint...but I believe its inside. 

 

We have sailed out of Port Everglades 4 times. 3 times we entered through Eisenhower, one time we entered at Spangler. Either will work, but Eisenhower is closer. Perhaps the choice of Spangler is due to your approach route.

We've sailed out of PE many times. Unless things have changed since February when we were there last, and I doubt it, Terminal 2 is definitely BEFORE the security checkpoint, as is Terminal 4 right next to it.  They moved the checkpoint a few hundred yards down Eisenhower a few years ago. It's visible on Google Maps satellite view, just after the entrance to Terminal 4.

[capriccio]

5 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

There is a checkpoint on Eisenhower. Some say Terminal 2 is outside the security checkpoint...but I believe its inside. 

 

@lx200gpspost is correct and it has been like that for a number of years.  See the port map on the official website (www.porteverglades.net).  For cruisers going to the Royal Caribbean terminal (#18) sometimes the Eisenhower checkpoint is even better than the Spangler checkpoint because there are fewer large trucks causing a backup at the checkpoint.

4 hours ago, lx200gps said:

We've sailed out of PE many times. Unless things have changed since February when we were there last, and I doubt it, Terminal 2 is definitely BEFORE the security checkpoint, as is Terminal 4 right next to it.  They moved the checkpoint a few hundred yards down Eisenhower a few years ago. It's visible on Google Maps satellite view, just after the entrance to Terminal 4.

[KreinKrunker]

13 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

There is a checkpoint on Eisenhower. Some say Terminal 2 is outside the security checkpoint...but I believe its inside. 

Yes, there is a security checkpoint on Eisehower, but after the entrance to Terminal 2.  It is also past the entrance to Terminal 4, as 1x200gps said.  Terminal 4 is going to be the new Disney Terminal.  Check the attached picture. road to the left goes to terminal 2, and you can see the checkpoint down Eisenhower